The year has come and gone, so it’s a fitting moment to look back at the shows that made the year 2024 special. As always, the Anime Corner News team has come together to passionately share their favorites of 2024.
Just a reminder that this list is not a ranking (of the anime or the writers) and does not represent hard facts – it is simply our own opinions written down for fun. And so without further ado, let’s see what the ACN team enjoyed:
Gushing Over Magical Girls – JP
I was going through a soul-crushing time when this show aired. Several health issues had destroyed my plans and savings, and I was at the end of a long line of failed personal projects and business ventures. I was at the point where I had a lot of concerning thoughts rampaging in my head. Because of that, it’s safe to say I hadn’t had a proper laugh in ages. But minutes into the first episode of Maho Ako, I was laughing so hard my sides hurt and my voice gave out. It instantly took me back to when I first watched D-Frag, and I fell in love with anime. I’ve always loved crude and offensive humor, and Gushing Over Magical Girls does that better than anyone else. As someone who’s had issues with overdoing things I shouldn’t, I empathize with Utena’s spiral into sex addiction.
Asahi Productions deserves a huge shout-out for treating an ecchi show with so much love; that’s a rarity. The voice cast of the show moved me like a few others, and the excess lewdness added a few extra years to my life. Usually, a show this blatantly offensive would be decried, but when this show was airing, every third post seemed to have Magia Baiser’s face on it. That goes to show how well-received this anime was.
Mushoku Tensei Season 2 Part 2 – Brett
You’re not alone in thinking that 2024 has been an incredibly long year—consider anime releases like Kaiju No.8, Black Butler – Public School Arc, Konosuba Season 3, or the final cours of The Apothecary Diaries and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. But looking back over 2024 as a whole, both personally and culturally, I am inexorably drawn to Mushoku Tensei Season 2 Part 2.
You can look at my name, my face, and my AOTY choice, and dismiss this as “another white guy” gassing up a problematic show. You are completely welcome to make (incorrect) assumptions about me and my watching habits; but if you know anything about my media critiques, this pick bears significant weight.
Mushoku Tensei is constantly asking an uncomfortable question: does a rotten, deceitful, lecherous, cowardly, inexcusable piece of human scum deserve a second chance? Does a person’s decisions, their thought process, and their sins, preclude them from happiness? And who are you to make such a judgment? You and I are not God. We can only let Fate play its hand, and see how the cards fall. The miserable lows of Mushoku Tensei Season 2, Part 2 drive home some of Rudeus’ greatest failures yet, juxtaposing his material gains with spiritual losses. He’ll have an even more soul-wrenching journey ahead in Season 3, but until then, Rudeus’ path—equally paved with desperate optimism and barbed with devastating pain—feels like an oddly poignant summary of the year 2024 itself.
Delicious in Dungeon – Tamara
Delicious in Dungeon was such a fun watch. There isn’t anything quite like it and it doesn’t fall into the typical fantasy/adventure tropes. The main cast is charming, funny, and weird, but also so dysfunctional. The story gets quite dark in specific moments, but despite that, the plot never stops being centered on the super weird food. I enjoyed every chaotic episode and always found myself wanting more, and that is why DunMeshi is my pick.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – Dali
2024 had many great animes, but Frieren was still the most memorable for me despite being from the winter season. It had a unique feel to it, mainly from being told from the perspective of a long-lived elf and focusing on the journey much more than the destination. The incredibly polished animation and soundtrack help you get immersed in the slow pace of the story, and you get to live in an intricate fantasy setting through a cast of very likable characters.
Frieren was a complete anime experience coupled with a trip to a fantasy world, and for these reasons, it is my pick for Anime of the Year.
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth – Eric
This was such a difficult decision. There are so many anime that deserve this award. Frieren, Apothecary Diaries, Yatagarasu, Mecha-Ude, Kimi ni Todoke Season 3, Wind Breaker, The Witch and The Beast, all of them were fantastic. Yet, Orb continued to stand out above them all and for me, brought forth the most compelling story of 2024 rooted in real history and scientific facts.
The constant threat of persecution kept me glued to my seat every episode and the way it tells its story is unlike any others from this season. Brutal moments are head-turning and deaths are heart-wrenching. Every character becomes likable in their own ways and the theme of passing the torch is executed flawlessly while drenched in symbolism. Orb will go down as another gem for studio MADHOUSE when all is said and done.
Sound! Euphonium Season 3 – Ken
After 9 years, KyoAni has beautifully concluded the story of Kumiko, Reina, and the others from Kitauji. While winning gold at Nationals was the ultimate goal for the cast, it wasn’t just their victory that left me feeling so fulfilled. It was also seeing how much everyone has grown throughout the years made my heart to the fullest.
The journey of the Kitauji Concert Band, led by Kumiko, will stay with me for a long time. It’s a story of dreams, hard work, and the bonds that form along the way. A narrative so rich and heartfelt that it’s impossible not to cherish. As the final note of their symphony fades, it leaves behind a melody that will resonate in my heart for years to come. A beautiful piece, that continues forever.
ONE PIECE – Marko
While the anime went on hiatus and wasn’t eligible for my AOTS pick (and in general I prefer to highlight something seasonal), ONE PIECE is my easy pick for Anime of the Year 2024. The year got us into the Egghead Island Arc, marking an entrance into the final arc of the story and revealing a lot of information and big fights.
This year had A LOT of highlights. To name a few, we got Sabo’s encounter with Imu and the Gorosei, Law vs Blackbeard, Vegapunk’s introduction, Luffy vs Rob Lucci, Kuma’s backstory, Kid vs Shanks, Cross Guild, and finally the recent spectacles that were Garp vs Kuzan and Koby’s Honesty Impact. Each of these moments got an incredible adaptation, showing the love and effort the animators working on the anime are putting in.
The Apothecary Diaries – Carla
I honestly feel silly and giddy with how I’m picking The Apothecary Diaries as my Anime of the Year for 2024 when Season 2 is literally premiering in a few days. But it’s true — I wholeheartedly love this series. Ever since I discovered it in January, I’ve been down the rabbit hole (including the manga and light novels) and could go on and on about how wonderful it is. I even chose it as my Winter 2024 pick and explained how the anime’s adaptation and delivery were everything and more.
The mysteries, characters, setting, music, colors — it’s all just lovingly crafted together. Just like the many colorful (and poisonous) flowers, The Apothecary Diaries is just as seductive, comforting, and alluring. I can’t get enough of it. Someday, when I’m a granny, I’ll no doubt be like that meme; I’ll be passionately telling my grandkids about a series I fell in love with back in 2024.
If you’re interested in checking out the teams’ favorite shows in 2024, here’s a recap:
- ACN Team Picks Top Anime of the Winter 2024 Season
- ACN Team Picks Top Anime of Spring 2024 Season
- ACN Team Picks Top Anime of the Summer 2024 Season
- ACN Team Picks Top Anime of the Fall 2024 Season
And that’s it for ACN’s top anime picks of 2024! What was your favorite? The Winter 2025 anime season is officially here, so make sure to check out the teams’ seasonal reviews and vote on our weekly polls! Happy New Year!
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